9 The father tallied his wealth and with the agreement of the older brother gave the younger his portion in gold.
10 Not many days after the younger son departed to a far country, there wasting his inheritance on wine, women, and gambling.
11 When he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he fell into a terrible want.
12 He bound himself to serve a citizen of that country. He sent him into his fields to feed his swine. He would have gladly filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, but no man gave to him.
13 Then, one day, he thought 'How many hired servants of my father have bread enough to spare, and I perish of hunger? I will rise up and go to my father, saying, 'father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I am not fit to be called your son. Make me one of your hired servants.'"
14 He arose, going to his father. When he was some distance off, his father saw him and had great compassion. Running to his son he fell on his neck and kissed him, then seeing that his feet were bloody, he picked his son up and carried him home.
15 The son said, 'Father, I have sinned. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
16 But his father told his servants, 'Take him, bathe him, put my best robes upon him, a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet.
17 Bring a fatted calf, slaughter it, let us have a great feast and be merry. For this son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, but now is found.'
18 They began to be merry. Now, the eldest son had been away in his father's service. When he returned he heard the music and asked a servant what had happened. The servant told him.
19 With great anger he cast down the purse from his gathering and would not enter the house. His father came out asking him of his displeasure.
20 The elder son answered, 'Many years have I served you. Never have I disobeyed, never have I complained. Yet you never gave me even a small kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
21 But as soon as my brother comes home who has squandered all living with harlots you have killed for him a fatted calf.'
22 Then his father put his hand upon his shoulder and said, 'Son you have been with me always. And all that I have is yours. From this day forth your brother is your servant. But should we not be merry and be glad?
23 Your brother was dead, but here he lives again. He was lost, but now is found. Can we not praise God for his deliverance?'
24 The brother went in to welcome his brother home."
25 When Jesus was done speaking many there had bowed heads because they wondered if they would be welcomed home.
THE PARABLE OF THE WISE STEWARD
Chapter Fifty-Three
He continued to His disciples.
2 "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and the same was accused that he had wasted his goods. The master called his steward and said, 'How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account of your stewardship or you may no longer be in my service.'
3 Then the steward said within himself, 'What should I do if my master should take away my stewardship? I cannot labor, and I am too proud to go begging. If I am put out of my stewardship no other house would hire me.'
4 So he called all of his lords' debtors and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my lord?'
5 The man answered, 'A hundred measures of oil.'
6 He said unto him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.'
7 He said to another, 'How much do you owe?'
8 The man answered, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'
9 He said to him, 'Take your bill and write forty.'
10 Then the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely. For the children of this world are, in their generation, wiser than The Children Of Light.
11 I say to you, make to yourself friends of the unrighteous, that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting inhabitation.
12 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also, in much. He that is unjust in the least, is unjust also, in the most. Therefore, you have not been unfaithful in the unrighteousness, you will commit to your trust the true riches.
13 If you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is yours?
14 No servant can serve two masters. He will hate one or the other. He will serve one or the other. You cannot serve God AND man."
15 The Pharisees also, heard all these things, and they despised Him. He said to them, "You are they which justify themselves before man. But God knows your heart. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
16 The Law and the Prophets were, until John. Since that time The Kingdom Of God is preached and every man passes into it.
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